It’s easy to go online and call the first Roofing contractor on Google My Business. Unfortunately, you aren’t assured that they are reputable, let alone capable of properly installing your roofing. Because of this, it’s always essential to do a bit of due diligence before hiring a roofing contractor. These are some questions that we encourage you to ask a roofing contractor before hiring them:
1. Are you licensed?
One of the first questions we recommend you ask a potential contractor is whether they are licensed to install and repair roofing. Having a valid license and certification demonstrates that a contractor has been through the necessary training and has received the qualifications to operate as a contractor legally. This provides you with a degree of assurance, knowing that the individual you’re hiring has been certified by the state to do what they do. Likewise, during this process, contractors also learn the regulatory requirements around roofing and can ensure your home’s roof is done to code.
2. Do you have insurance?
Secondly, we encourage you to always ask about insurance. You’ve probably heard horror stories of projects where a mistake is made, like not building the roof’s structure correctly and it collapsing just after it’s up, or a contractor accidentally damaging half your roof tiles. In these cases, say your contractor has no insurance? Either they will need to pay out of pocket, or you will need to. Sometimes figuring out this makes an extremely uncomfortable situation. However, if your contractor has insurance and the problem was clearly their fault, their insurance should cover it.
3. What experience do you have with projects like mine?
You also want to ensure that the contractor you hire has experience working with the materials you’re using. For instance, if you’re installing a slate roof, the whole roof structure needs to change. This is because slate is much heavier than a standard roofing material, requiring the house to be built in a way that factors in this weight. If a contractor builds with slate on a standard roofing structure with no extra support, it could lead to further problems down the line. So, you want to make sure that the individual you hire has experience working with the same materials.
4. Do you have a portfolio that I can see?
Any reputable contractor will have a portfolio showcasing some of their best work. Nowadays, many businesses utilise a website as a portfolio, with photos and testimonials loaded onto their site from previous customers and other companies that they’ve worked with.
While you’re still doing your due diligence, ask the contractor for their portfolio. They could give you a physical copy of a portfolio they’ve had made or send you a link to their website. Either way, this will give you some idea of the quality of their work.
In addition to that, if they don’t have any customer reviews on their website, ask them if they can connect you to one of their customers. Reviews and referrals generally say a lot about a company.
5. How long would a project like mine usually take?
Roofing contractors who have been in the game for a long time learn how long different projects take based on their experience. Understanding how long a project will take will help you manage your expectations and work around what you need to do. It’s also important to factor in potential delays like bad weather or accidents (which shouldn’t happen, but sometimes do). A contractor who can confidently give you a reasonable timeline also demonstrates their experience, proving that they know the timeline needs for a project like yours.
6. How do you calculate your fee?
Understanding the fee, how it needs to be paid, and how it’s worked out tells you a lot about who you’re working with. Professional contractors usually have a good grasp of what their projects cost, using their labour rate and the price of materials to provide you with a quote. On the other hand, some contractors might give you an estimated price and raise it suddenly after the job is complete. Ideally, you should want a contractor to provide you with a quote with all the upfront costs needed and no hidden or conditional costs further down the line.
Hiring a reputable roofing contractor
If you’re still looking for a reputable contractor to install your roof, consider AMJ Metal Roofing. AMJ specialises in metal roofing installation and can ensure that your roofing installation is done to regulatory standards and in a timely manner.
Final thoughts
Before you hire a roofing contractor, it’s important to know how they do business. Ask any prospective roofing contractors you may meet with the questions above and their answers should give you clarity on whether you want to work with them or not.
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